Femi Ogunrombi, the actor who played the lead character in the sitcom ‘Papa Ajasco’, is dead.
Isreal Eboh, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), confirmed this to TheCable Lifestyle on Sunday.
The film executive didn’t reveal the circumstances of Ogunrombi’s passing but described it as “a great loss”.
“The only thing I can confirm is that it is true. But as regards the circumstances, we wait for his family,” Eboh said.
“In this part of the world, you have to wait on the family because you don’t know how much or what they want to present. With Femi’s death, the industry has lost a highly creative person.
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but he’s a scientist. He left all that because of his love for acting and theatre.
“He was one who believed strongly in the fusion of music and theatre, particularly Nigerian folk songs.
“For us, it’s the passing of a committed practitioner and a lover of Nigerian culture. It happened yesterday evening between 7 pm and 8 pm. The family is still trying to come to terms with his death.”
Femi Ogunrombi, before his death, served as a music director at the National Troupe of Nigeria.
He was the director of studies at the Pencil Film and Television Institute, Lagos.
The actor has been working as a musicologist for more than three decades, having studied music and drama at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU).
Ogunrombi played the bald-headed lead character of the family sitcom ‘Papa Ajasco’ as a stand-in for Abiodun Ayoyinka.
He took on the role and played it for two years when Abiodun Ayoyinka momentarily pulled out of the show.
Created by Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP), it was first aired on TV in 1996 under the name ‘The Ajasco Family’.
The series is an offshoot of a film of the same name directed by Wale Adenuga and released in 1984.
The Ajasco Family and their satirical takes on significant problems facing society are at the center of this series.
The primary cast consists of the womanizing patriarch, Papa Ajasco, his long-suffering wife, Mama Ajasco, their mischievous son Bobo Ajasco, and a local playboy named Boy Alinco.
Others are a promiscuous gold-digger named Miss Pepeiye and two ignorant scoundrels, Pa James and Pa Jimoh.
During its peak, the comedy series ‘Papa Ajasco’ was primarily regarded as Nigeria’s most popular TV programme.
It was shown every week in a total of twelve African nations.
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